Welcome to Starclan
by DaisyShrub
Summary: A brief short story about a young tom, who has joined the ranks of Starclan. Note: This is my interpretation of how cat would join Starclan.


Note: Hello! This is just a short story I wrote to get myself back into the swing of writing. It's my take on how cats are brought into Starclan after passing. I intentionally left out the name of the cat, or any clans, because Starclan is home for all. Comments/advice/reviews are always appreciated.

 **Welcome to Starclan**

The rain was the hardest he had ever felt. It soaked his body, his fur clinging to him like paste. He footsteps were heavy with the extra weight. Mud slipped between the spaces in his toes. His legs were not long enough to step over the long grass that grew here. His body was sore, and there was a throbbing in his shoulder. He remembered he was fighting and was thrown to the ground. Then…nothing.

What he did know was that this was not the place where he was moments ago.

"Follow me", a voice said in his ear, and the young tom turned his head in surprise to look up at strong white she-cat. Even though it was raining, it looked as if she did not get wet at all. Small bright lights scattered her fur and trailed along her paws in the grass.

She looked beautiful. "Who are you?" the tom asked.

She glanced at him with bright golden eyes. "You can call me Nightsky" she mewed, her voice was kind and gentle.

"Where are we?" he asked. Her footsteps were slow but long, and the tom struggled to keep up with her. His shoulder was yelling at him with every step, but he would rather be with the mysterious she-cat than alone.

"We are in a place of rest and peace, young one." Nightsky replied.

"Why is it raining so hard? It never rains this hard in the clans".

She glanced down at him. "You sure do ask a lot of questions".

The tom kept following, not replying. He glanced up at the she-cat, and she let a sigh.

"Starclan grieves when a life this young joins us", she mewed, "This is the it's way of showing it".

The young tom felt his heart jolt. Starclan? Why was he in Starclan…

It was as if Nightsky could read his thoughts. "I know it must be confusing. One moment you are with your clan, and the next you are somewhere else".

The young tom looked around. The longer they walked, and more it seemed as if the rain was lightening, and the clouds were rolling away. As they slowly drifted out of view, the raindrops turned to mist, and then to nothing. The grass was drizzled with dew, and his soaked fur was the only indication that there was ever any rain to begin with.

He followed Nightsky over a small hill, pushing to keep up with her strides. Finally reaching the peak, he pushed through the tall grass, and stopped in his tracks. Below him were more cats than he had ever seen. He could the drifting sounds of their conversation, and watch them move, friendly between each other. A sliver tom was carrying a trout in his jaws to a pile of prey that not even green-leaf could provide. A ginger she-cat was tussling with a large brown tom, the yowls of their laughter traveled to his ears. Elderly toms and she-cats sat in circle, sharing tongues and grooming.

They all carried the light of stars in their pelts.

"We have been waiting for you" Nightsky mewed.

As if the cats had heard her, they all looked up, and rose to their paws. Nightsky purred. "Let's go say hello."

Wary, the young tom followed Nightsky down the slope. His heart was racing, but he did not want to be left behind. As they made their way to the closest cats, they bowed their heads, purring. He could almost feel the vibrations through the pads in his paws.

"Welcome" they mewed.

He dipped his head back to them and kept walking, keeping close to Nightsky. The further they walked, the more cats there were. Some were more faded than others, and some looked as real as him. Their pelts began to blend, colors dappled with stars. Black, tabby, striped, white, silver, brown, spotted, patched. Their mews echoed in the sky.

"Welcome".

"Welcome".

"Welcome".

"Welcome".

"Welcome".

"Welcome".

They made their way to a large, smooth stone in the middle of the valley. Its marbled surface was easy to jump on, and Nightsky led him to it. The group of cats encircled the two of them.

"Touch your nose to the stone." She mewed.

The tom looked around, unsure. The cats around him nodded in encouragement.

Turning his head to the stone, the tom closed his eyes, turned, and touched his nose to the stone. An instant coolness rushed through his body and down to the tip of his claws. The tom gasped, his eyes flying open. He felt that his pelt was now dry, and quickly looked down at his paws. They now shined with the light of the stars.

He looked like the rest of the cats here, and felt the warmth spread through him. He felt as if he was with his kin, regardless of clan or rank.

Nightsky purred, touching her nose to his forehead.

"Welcome to Starclan, young one".


End file.
